


High Hopes

by poohsweatervest



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2018-01-08 14:30:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1133765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poohsweatervest/pseuds/poohsweatervest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world without Rooster Teeth, everything turns out differently for Michael. One thing that doesn't change is the fact that certain people will always be in his life, no matter how hard they’re trying not to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy ho, here comes another fic! Someone gave me this prompt on tumblr and it's spinning of into a big ol' full work. This will be a breath of fresh air compared to Becoming Free

 Fuck. It hadn't even been twenty fucking minutes and I was already lost. All the signs and the roads were so confusing, they didn't make a lick of sense. Everyone was rushing down the street and it reminded me of the time I went to visit Ray in New York City. I probably would have been just as lost there if I hadn't had him to guide me around. Fuck.

There was no one to guide me in London, though, and if I was going to be living there, I needed to learn my way around. I didn't see the chance of that happening any time soon and I had the terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me I was going to be lost until I asked someone for directions. I needed to do that quickly, too, or I would miss a dinner date with my new boss.

That's why I'd moved to London, wasn't it? For some dream job in radio that I'd magically gotten. They said in the interview that they were looking for someone like me, which meant that they were looking for someone with an “American Accent.” I imagined the look an their faces when I brought out my Jersey accent as a surprise. It would be one of those huge fuck-you's that says “Hey, not only am I American, but I'm from fucking Jersey, you dick bag.” Lucky for them, I'd gotten rid of my Jersey accent some time ago when I started making videos for YouTube, which was where the radio had found me. After getting a visa and moving everything I owned to London, I was there and ready. It was unfortunate that it wasn't even the end of my first day there and I was already on the verge of screwing everything up.

It probably wasn't a good idea to think of all my responsibilities as I was walking down the side walk with little regard to those around me, because that's when I slammed into him.

Him being the most perfect and handsome human being I've had the pleasure of letting my eyes focus on. Fluffy looking dark blonde hair with green eyes and a long face with light facial hair all over his cheeks and chin. His nose was just about the only thing that wasn't perfect about him and even with it being three times the size of my own, he still made it work for him.

We toppled to the ground and I felt something warm hit my in the chest as I landed on top of him. We both stared at each other for five seconds until he smirked at me and I got up.

“Holy shit I'm so fucking sorry,” I spouted, pulling him to his feet with a hand I outstretched to take his.

He laughed nervously. “It's not a problem,” he smiled and it was charming the way he did. I couldn't look away from him or think of anything to say. “Sorry about the coffee.”

“Coffee?” I asked confused, looking down at his hand where a half empty cup was perched. I looked down at my shirt and realized it had all been spilled on me. “Shit,” I mumbled under my breath. What was I going to do? I had to be to the restaurant in less than an hour. I sighed and waved my hands as if to signal that it was fine. “No problem.”

“I'm Gavin, by the way,” He stuck out his hand for me to shake and I took it instantly.

“Michael,” I stuttered out.

The smile dropped from his lips. “You don't sound like you're from around here.”

“Well,” I went on, still a little irritated about the coffee. “To be fair, you don't sound like you're from around here either.”

“Really?” He laughed. “Well you do have me, there. I'm from Oxfordshire. It's a little more than an hour outside London.”

“I could tell because you don't sound like you have a stick up your ass.”

I really got him laughing at that. “Cockney does sound a bit like there's something up their arses.” He walked over to a trash can behind me and threw the drink away. “Would you like some assistance?”

“Assistance?” I asked, turning towards him.

“Getting around London? I'm only here for the evening.”

I smiled at him and we began walking down the sidewalk. “I have to get to my apartment before a dinner with my new boss in about an hour.”

“Let me guess, you have no idea where your apartment is?”

“Right. All I have is the address.” I reached into my pocket, looking for the slip of paper I had written on before I left the states. He took it in both hands and held it up so he could see it. I found myself looking slightly up at him and realized he must be a tiny bit taller than me.

“I know where this is! Let's go!” He gave me the slip of paper back held up a hand, walking towards the street out of everyone's way. A taxi pulled up and he opened the back door, signaling for me to get in. “It's a bit out of the way but we can get there in about twenty minutes, if the traffic is good.” I slipped in and he did after me, shutting the door behind him and telling the cab driver the address. “So, where are you from and what brings you to the UK?”

“I got a job here on the radio.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” I smiled at his face which mocked something of curious. “I'm hoping to make it big or something.”

“I don't think I'd want to be in the public's eye like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because you're expected to act and behave a certain way and everyone is putting pressure on you to be a certain person.”

I snorted. “I think that's a little too fucking deep for me.”

He giggled along. “Where are you from?”

“New Jersey.”

“Hmm, I've never been there.”

“Do you travel to the States a lot?”

He paused as if in thought and replied with a simple, “Nope!” And looked out the window.

Gavin. Perhaps the strangest person that I could have met. Not to mention he didn't make a speck of fucking sense. We pulled up to what must have been the address and I began scrambling for my wallet full of fresh British pounds, but Gavin was quicker than I was, paying for the fare in full before exiting. I started after him for a bit astonished.

“Are you going to get out, you sausage?” He leaned back in and pulled me by the hand across the street and onto the sidewalk, shutting the cab door behind me.

“You didn't have to pay the cabbie,” I said, sighing and looking up at the building. He joined my gaze and examined the structure.

“Oh, no. I did, trust me.”

“What?” I questioned, looking over to him. He remained facing the building and looking up but his eye moved to look at me out of the corner.

“It just means you owe me and you'll have to see me again.” A smirk entered the corner of his mouth.

I couldn't help but smile back. There was something about the guy that made me want to smile, but I also wanted to punch him in the face at the same time. Maybe it was the smooth line.

I shook my hair out of my eyes. I was getting ready to take a leap. One that I'd never had the courage to take before then, but it seemed like it was the perfect opportunity. I'd just moved to a new city – a new country – and didn't know anyone and no one knew me.

“Are you single?” I opened my mouth to speak the words but Gavin's voice filled the air with them first. My cheeks instantly went red and he chuckled in a high pitched voice. “You don't have to look so mortified! Just tell me no if you're not interested.” He didn't look upset in the least.

“It's not that I'm not interested-”

“You just don't swing that way, right?”

“Actually, I do-”

“So you're taken, then?”

“No, I'm single-”  
“Is it too soon?”

“Gavin,” I was nearly shouting. “If you would shut up for one fucking second, you would know that I'm trying to fucking say I was about to ask you the same thing!”

At that he was quiet and his face told me that he was in shock. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and it felt as if the rest of the world had gone quiet.

Gavin broke the silence with the jingling of change in his pocket. He was now completely turned towards me and searching for something. After a bit of digging, he pulled a pen out and grabbed for my hand. I could tell he was nervous by the way his hand was shaking and the red on his cheeks. “H-here's my number,” He said in a shaky voice. He wrote the digits on the back of my hand. “I-I'm going back t-to Oxford tonight, b-but maybe after your dinner w-we could catch a film? If that's t-too soon for you, we could meet the n-next time-”

“A movie sounds great,” I smiled and looked up into his eyes. He had his brows scrunched together and it made him look utterly terrified.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr post: http://poohsoup.tumblr.com/post/73273682576/high-hopes-2

 All through dinner I couldn't focus. Thoughts of Gavin kept running through my mind and I couldn't get him to go away. There was something about him that I just couldn't place and it made me want to keep searching until I found the answer. Unfortunately, it wasn't making itself present and I could tell my boss was getting pissed that I wasn't making small talk like a sophisticated adult.

“So, Michael,” He started, leaning over the table and catching my attention. “How has London treated you so far?”

“Pretty nicely,” I said after clearing my throat. “It's easy to get lost, though.”

He laughed a lot more than was necessary and I got the notion that he was attempting to impress me. “At least you found the restaurant.”

“Well, I had someone give me directions.” There was his laugh again. “It'll take some getting used to.”

“Indeed it will but I trust you'll adjust.”

The rest of the dinner was of course filled with boring small talk and details of my job as was expected from someone of his standing. He was a proper business man complete with suit and tie. He gave off the impression that he didn't like commoners. I was reassured of that when I caught a glimpse of the bill for dinner. It didn't appear to be much for him, especially since he payed for my cab fare back to my apartment after. His parting words were, “I'll see you Monday morning in the studio,” keeping our relationship strictly business oriented.

I was happy for that. He was a short balding man that didn't look like he liked to have any fun and I of course was the extreme opposite of that. Given the opportunity, I wouldn't bother getting to know the man. I was glad he was my boss instead of my co-host, which I found out I had up until she quit the day before I flew in. She reportedly grabbed everything she owned in the office and left without saying anything to anyone. I was better off hosting my own show honestly.

My radio hour was just a slot on the local radio. I couldn't curse and if I did, I'd have to bleep myself. I had to do all my editing live, unless I was taking a phone call. Phone calls only happened during songs for that purpose and I could choose to play songs if I wanted to. They had a number of guests lined up for me to talk to over the weeks and I only hosted the show on Tuesdays and Thursdays right before lunch hour. I was promised a night time slot if I was good at what I did, but honestly, I didn't have the slightest idea what I was going to do.

I collapsed to my bed, not remembering when I even entered my apartment being so lost in thought. I looked around my bedroom and everything was in boxes. They were delivered only a few days before I arrived in London and held all of my personal belongings including the consoles I had to to rebuy because of the outlets in England. I had no crew assembled to unpack any of it. I'd have to do all of that by myself.

I rolled over on to my stomach and brought my hand up to rest on the bed in front of my nose. I saw the number still scrawled in barely legible writing on the back of my palm and snorted. “Maybe he'd help me.” After thinking about it a bit more, I realized how awful of a first date that would be for him.

 _First date_. The words echoed in my head. I hadn't really had anyone in my life that I wanted to be in a relationship with since high school and I'd never dated a guy before but I was still willing to experience it. I just had to decide if this guy was the one I wanted to test the waters with. _Who knows? Maybe it will actually last._

Against my better judgment, I walked down to the payphone in the lobby and gave him a call. I still needed to get a new number before I could have a working cell phone.

“Hello?” He answered, sounding confused.

“Hey, Gavin. It's-”

“Ah!” He interrupted with a gleeful cheer. “My little American, giving me a call. Why are you on a payphone?” I could hear his laugh echo through the receiver.

“I don't have a working phone of my own yet,” I answered, running a hand through my hair. “Listen, do you still want to go see a movie?”

“I'm a bit knackered out, actually. I don't think I could bother going to a film.”

“Knackered out,” I repeated, trying to process the word. “Does that mean, like, tired or something?”

“Yeah,” He giggled. “I guess so, yeah.”

“That's fucking stupid.” The man tending the front desk shot me a look but I shrugged it off and turned away from him.

“Aw! Come on, Michael. It's not that bad!”

“No it's pretty bad.” I caught myself rubbing my finger up and down the chord of the phone and immediately stopped. This is what school girls do, Michael. “So are you too tired to do anything? We could stay in and watch a movie or play some video games?”

“Hmm...” He trailed of and I felt like I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for his answer. “How long do you think we'll be hanging out?”

“I don't know. I guess a couple hours? How ever long the movie is.”

“I ask because I was planning to go home tonight and the buses do stop running eventually.”

“I'll drive you home.” _What the hell, Michael!_ I was mentally smacking myself. _He lives an hour away._

He let out a high pitched laugh. “I live an hour away, Michael.” I could almost see his smile. “I wouldn't make you do that, though the offer is sweet.” He paused for a moment and I let out an awkward laugh. “I'll come over tonight, I'll just have to leave early.”

“That's fine,” I said, letting out a sigh. I probably sounded irritated to Gavin, but it was really a sigh of relief. I was suddenly afraid that I liked him too much. “When do you think you'll be over?”

“Right about now, actually.” I heard the front doors open and knew it was him before I even looked.


End file.
